


When The Walls Come Down

by lovesnarf (snarfette)



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Hurt, Injury, M/M, what I wouldn’t mind seeing on the ‘big night out’
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-01-06 10:24:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18386552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarfette/pseuds/lovesnarf
Summary: They were trapped, buried under the rubble.And he didn’t know where his husband was.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I know we won’t get it, but I really want some Robron angst from the upcoming Emmerdale episodes for the ‘big night out’ so I’ve decided to write my own. 
> 
> This is a very short prologue to the story, but it sets the scene nicely, I feel. 
> 
> There will be changing perspectives throughout this fic and part of this prologue is meant to be ambiguous so you don’t know who’s thinking it, or is it both of them?

There hadn’t been any warning. 

They’d been standing in the nightclub: Robert coerced by Bernice and Victoria to go and dance, so he’d taken a few steps onto the dance floor; Aaron steadfastly refusing any such nonsense so he’d stayed standing by their table, ‘looking after the drinks’ and laughing at his husband’s antics. 

Robert had been complaining all night that they hadn’t even planned to go out seeing as they were supposed to be heading off for a long weekendaway, just the two of them, and instead Aaron had suddenly agreed that they’d head out with some of the other villagers for a night out to celebrate good news about their surrogacy plans. He’d laughed at Robert and wound him up about being an old man wanting a quiet night in with his slippers on and Robert had growled something in response about wanting a not-so-quiet night in with his husband in a fancy hotel room. Aaron had promised him they’d head off to the hotel as soon as they’d finished their drinks. Their impromptu night out was only because Hotten was halfway to their hotel destination anyway, he’d reasoned. And when Aaron had whispered in his ear about what they’d do when they arrived, Robert had cheered up. 

And Robert had actually been having a good time. They didn’t often get to spend time out with people their own age these days, so even he’d had to admit it was good fun. 

The girls had headed off to the toilets (Robert had wondered, not for the first time, why women seemed incapable of heading to the loo on their own) and Robert had started making his way back to Aaron. He’d been giving him a daft ‘come here to me’ gesture and Aaron had been shaking his head with a smile on his face. 

And then there’d been a terrible, almost deafening crashing from somewhere above. 

There had been no time to move. But their eyes had met for a moment across the space, a look of horror and terrible fear passing between them. Someone had screamed and then the roof had fallen in on them. 

***

It was so dark. And so quiet. 

His eyes felt sore and his eyelids felt heavy every time he tried to blink them open. He caught glimpses of his surroundings - thick dust and twisted metal and splintered wood - before he had to squeeze his eyes closed again. 

His head hurt. His ears were ringing. 

And then he panicked. He couldn’t breathe - not properly. Dragging in a breath hurt his chest and his throat felt clogged with dust. 

‘Stay calm,’ he thought to himself. ‘Just breathe.’

And then he remembered what had happened: they’d been in the night club; something had caused the roof to collapse. 

They were trapped, buried under the rubble. 

And he didn’t know where his husband was. 


	2. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, you guys have made me soooo happy with the amazing response to that little prologue. I know I was rather cruel keeping you guessing, but your lovely feedback has encouraged me to get this first ‘proper’ chapter up as soon as I could. Enjoy...

Robert coughed weakly. It was more of a splutter as his throat and mouth felt thick and full of dust. 

He forced his eyes open and blinked rapidly as he felt the grittiness of dust and debris all over his face. Just opening his eyelids had sent tiny particles moving across his skin. 

He was lying on the floor where he’d been standing before...whatever it was had happened. He had no clue what had caused the roof to cave in, but he was trapped.

His brain seemed to be taking its time to process what was going on around him. There was rubble and debris and things that shouldn’t be where they were scattered all around him. It was darker inside the club than it should have been now there were no flashing lights everywhere and Robert slowly realised it was because the roof wasn’t where it should be anymore. It had fallen in, on top of him. But there was light: there was light, maybe from the streetlights outside, where there shouldn’t have been, because that hole hadn’t been there in the roof before. It seemed like he was covered by parts of the fallen roof, but that shaft of light from outside looked a lot like hope. 

He coughed again, desperately hoping to clear the thick, scratchy dryness in his throat, but it did nothing but set him off into a weak coughing fit that left him gasping for air. It was only then that he realised how painful it was to breathe, how he couldn’t draw a deep breath, and how he felt like a massive weight was pressing down on his chest. 

Lifting his shaking left hand to feel what it was and trying to tilt his head to see, he realised there was a huge beam of wood lying half on top of the right side of his chest, half on the ground beside him. It was crushing down on him, trapping him completely and making every breath a battle. 

Panic flooded him for a moment: he was trapped; he couldn’t breathe properly; he was going to die here. 

But then he stopped. He had to stay calm. Help would be coming soon. 

‘Just keep breathing,’ he thought to himself. 

His mind was whirling about what had happened and how he’d get out, and then suddenly his mind froze - a moment of horrible clarity striking him and leaving him cold. 

Where was Aaron? 

He’d been standing just a few feet away from Aaron when the collapse had happened. They’d looked at one another when they’d heard the awful sound from somewhere above them. It was like they’d known something terrible was about to happen as their eyes had met across the room and then they’d lost sight of one another as the world had come crashing down around them. 

And then he panicked for an entirely different reason. He needed to find Aaron: he might be hurt; he might be trapped too. 

With his free hand, he reached out for the beam lying on top of him. He planted his hand against the rough wood and tried to push it away, but it wouldn’t move. Grunting from the effort and the pain that flared through his chest at the movement of his body, he tried again. 

“Come on,” he ground out. 

Then he started coughing again. It hurt and his lungs burned with the sensation. His arm fell uselessly to his side when the coughing abated and he tried to catch his breath through shuddering gasps of air. 

And then he heard it. A soft groan from somewhere nearby. 

He turned his head to the side and listened. There it was again. A pained moan. And he knew instantly who it was. 

“Aaron!” he called. His voice was rough and his shout wasn’t as loud as he’d hoped it would be. “Aaron!” he tried again. 

He started coughing and he felt tears prick at his eyes as he struggled to drag in the air to his protesting lungs. 

“Aaron,” he spluttered weakly. 

***

Aaron felt like he was drifting. 

His head was fuzzy and he felt completely out of it. Had he really had that much to drink? It was a hell of a hangover, but he couldn’t think of any other explanation.

He wanted to open his eyes but it seemed like a lot of effort to try. Why did his head hurt so much? It felt like someone was slamming a hammer against the side of his head over and over. 

He groaned pitifully.

“Aaron! Aaron!” 

Someone was calling his name and he wondered why they sounded so desperate and scared, but so weak at the same time. 

Then he realised it was Robert. 

Something was wrong: Robert sounded wrong. 

He groaned again and forced his eyes open slowly. Whatever had happened to him wasn’t a hangover. Something had happened to them and Robert sounded too far away and too worried.

Blinking in confusion, he realised he was lying on the floor and staring up at...he couldn’t quite figure it out. What the hell had happened? It looked like the ceiling above him was hanging down, suspended and smashed open like a huge boulder had been dropped straight through the middle of it splintering it into fragments of wood and metal. 

“Aaron.” Robert’s voice called roughly again and then there was a horrible coughing and Aaron’s heart leapt in his chest.

Robert was somewhere nearby and something was wrong with him.

“Rob,” he tried to call out but his voice was so hoarse, he knew Robert wouldn’t hear him. 

He tried to move, to push himself up and cried out in agony. 

“Aaron!” Robert shouted again. “Aaron? Are you alright? Where are you?”

Robert sounded panicked as he coughed again but Aaron focused on his voice to keep him grounded. 

Something was very wrong. 

Aaron reached out his hand and with shaking fingers he carefully felt his way down his side. He hissed and felt his heart-rate spike as he reached the warm patch on his t-shirt and the tender skin below it. Tentatively, his fingers moved further, afraid of what he’d find, and then they brushed against something hard and cold that shouldn’t have been there, something that was sticking out of his body. He drew in a shuddery breath and lifted his hand up in front his face: by the dim light, he could see it was covered in blood. 

His breaths were suddenly quick and shallow and he knew he was panicking, losing control.

“Aaron,” Robert called out. “Please...answer me. Are you okay?”

The sound of his voice broke through Aaron’s rising panic. Robert was there. Robert needed him. Robert would be so scared if he knew Aaron was hurt. He had to calm down and help Robert. 

“Robert,” he said, his voice still too quiet. He cleared his throat, wincing at the feeling of dust clogging it. “Robert, I’m here,” he forced his voice to be clearer, louder, and tried to hide the tremor caused by the terror of what had happened and the knowledge of the horrible injury he had sustained. 

“Aaron!” Robert gasped out. He sounded so relieved to have heard Aaron finally respond to him. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“I’m...I’m fine,” Aaron lied. He couldn’t tell Robert that he was impaled on a piece of metal and completely terrified. 

“You yelled. It sounded like you were in pain - I thought you were hurt,” Robert replied. 

“No...no, I’m fine. Just banged up a bit. Are you alright?”

There was a long pause before Robert replied again. “I’m okay,” he finally said. “Just...just trapped.”

Aaron released a breath in relief. Robert wasn’t hurt - he’d be alright as long as someone found them soon and got him out. 

“Where are you?” he asked. He couldn’t see much and he certainly couldn’t work out where Robert was. 

“I think I’m still on the dance-floor. I can’t really see. I can’t see you.”

Aaron turned his head cautiously and looked around. The table they’d put their drinks on was on its side next to him and, when he looked in the direction he thought Robert’s voice was coming from, he saw nothing but rubble and destruction separating them. 

He desperately wanted to see Robert. He wanted to check he really was alright and he wanted Robert to come and hold his hand because he was so scared. Maybe it was selfish, but he needed Robert. He couldn’t have him in that moment so his voice would have to do. 

“I can’t see you either,” Aaron replied. He winced at the feeling of pain in his side. It was getting worse. Maybe because he was now aware of the injury or maybe because the shock of the initial accident was wearing off. He forced his voice to be steady. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. The roof’s collapsed but I don’t know what caused it. There must be a lot of people trapped. I hope Vic and Bernice are safe.”

“Oh god,” Aaron gasped. He’d almost forgotten that they hadn’t been alone at the club. “It’ll be alright, Rob. I’m sure they’re okay.”

It was quiet on the other side of the huge pile of rubble and Aaron didn’t like it. “Robert? Robert?”

“I’m here,” Robert replied and he sounded a little out of breath. “Are you sure you’re alright? I know you don’t like being trapped.”

Aaron felt tears prickling at his eyes. Robert knew him so well. 

“I’m scared,” he admitted. 

“I know,” Robert replied. “Me too. But help will be on the way.” He fell quiet for a moment. “We’ll be alright, Aaron. Just hold on.”


	3. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, your feedback has been so amazing and really encouraged me to get the next chapter written so here you go. More angst ahead...

His eyes had fallen closed and he knew they’d taken longer to open again than they had before. He needed to stay awake. If he fell asleep, gave into the feeling of heaviness that was trying to drag him under, he knew he was done for. 

He was desperate. 

He’d thought about shouting for help, but there didn’t seem to be any sign of anyone getting close to help them yet, so he decided to save his breath. 

He had to keep calm. He had to keep talking: keep them both talking. He couldn’t do much; he couldn’t be with the man he loved. And he hated that. He hated them being separated, especially when he needed him so much. 

He could do this. Just keep talking, stay awake, pretend he was fine to save the other man any extra worry or fear.

He loved him so much. 

If this was it, if this was how it ended for him, he’d do whatever it took to help his husband. 

He drew in a shuddery breath, forced the tears back that had started to burn at his eyes, and swallowed down his fear.

He could do this. 

***

Robert was getting tired. And his chest was hurting more and more by the minute. He’d tried to reach for his phone in his jacket pocket, but the way half his body was trapped under the beam meant he’d failed. Not that he knew what help it would be anyway: who would he call? 999? Yeah, and tell them what? Him and his husband were trapped, somewhere in the club, like loads of other people probably were. His phone was probably crushed anyway. There was nothing he could do but wait. 

He sighed and then winced as his chest ached with the simple action of breathing out. 

This was so, so bad.

Aaron had fallen quiet and Robert desperately wanted to keep him talking. He knew how much Aaron hated the feeling of being trapped. It had got worse since he’d been in prison and suffered so much while he was there. But he’d always hated it. Robert would never forget the utter terror on Aaron’s face, and the fear in his voice, when he’d woken up and realised he was trapped in the car at the bottom of the lake.Robert had never forgotten it and sometimes he saw that face, heard that voice, in his nightmares. He’d managed to keep Aaron calm, or as calm as possible, that time. And he’d saved him. He’d got him out. He didn’t think he’d be able to get Aaron out this time - no, he knew he had no chance - but he could keep him calm. Use his voice and his words for something good. Apparently he’d got a lot better at that. Aaron had told him once when they’d been cosied up in bed together, and he’d murmured it into the dark, that Robert was so good at making him, and Liv, feel better. And it had warmed Robert’s heart to hear it - Aaron made him a better man. Being part of their family made him a better man. 

“Aaron,” he called out. “You still there?”

Aaron huffed out what sounded like a laugh. “I’ve got no plans - not going anywhere in a hurry.”

Robert felt a tiny smile tug at his dry lips. Typical snarkiness from his husband. 

“Just checking...you hadn’t had a better offer.” He coughed weakly. “And gone off with...someone else.”

“A younger model?” Aaron called back. 

Letting out his own dry, rough laugh, Robert replied. “Hmm, I knew there was a reason...you wanted...to come out tonight.”

“Are you alright, Rob?” Aaron called to him. “You sound like you’re out of breath.”

Robert looked down the length of his body at the massive, splintered beam of wood lying on top of him. 

Suddenly, he wanted to cry. 

Aaron was right: he was out of breath. 

Breathing hurt: every shallow gasp of air feeling like someone was stabbing him in the chest. The pain in his side was becoming excruciating and he clenched his left fist against the agony. 

He wanted so badly to tell Aaron how much it hurt and how scared he was, but how could he? How could he put that on Aaron when his husband could do nothing to help? Aaron would just worry, or worse panic and try to get to him and maybe hurt himself in the process. 

He had to just keep Aaron going. Someone would come soon and then Aaron would be alright; he’d be safe. And that was all Robert needed. 

“I was going...to wine and dine you tonight,” he announced, completely avoiding the question that Aaron had asked him. 

There was a long moment of silence before Aaron replied. “You didn’t need to do that,” he said quietly. 

“But...I wanted to,” Robert replied. “I like spoiling you...you deserve it.”

Again there was a pause. When Aaron spoke again he sounded upset suddenly. “I’m sorry...if it wasn’t for me, we’d be there by now. And now...”

He broke off and Robert was sure he heard him sniffle. He could just picture Aaron crying quietly to himself and he hated the fact that he couldn’t go to him, reassure him. 

“Aaron...” he said. “It’ll be alright.”

“And now,” Aaron continued, like he hadn’t heard Robert’s words. “We’re here. Trapped. And...it’s my fault. I persuaded you to do this instead of going straight to the hotel. We shouldn’t be here.”

“Aaron...listen to me,” Robert said and he tried to make his voice strong and steady despite the struggle to breathe. “Don’t do this. Don’t blame yourself. No-one could’ve predicted this...there is no way that any of this...is your fault. Tell me...tell me you believe...that this isn’t your fault.”

He needed to hear it. If Robert’s injuries were as bad as he was beginning to think they were, he didn’t know if he was going to make it out of the situation alive. And he couldn’t let Aaron take that on himself. He couldn’t let him believe he was responsible. In his mind, he could see Aaron taking on the guilt and trying to live with it, punishing himself every day because he believed he was the one to blame for a case of wrong place, wrong time, blaming himself for Robert not making it out of the club. 

There was a definite loud sniff from Aaron again and Robert imagined him roughly

scrubbing at his eyes. 

“Tell me, Aaron,” Robert insisted. He felt his own eyes burning with tears. 

“I believe you...it’s not...it’s not my fault,” Aaron replied, his voice wobbly and rough with tears. 

“Good,” Robert told him. “Remember that.”

He squeezed his eyes closed and felt a little calmer again. If he had to let go, at least he knew Aaron would be alright. 

***

Aaron was cold. He’d started shivering a while ago, but he felt like the cold was seeping into his bones as he lay on the hard floor, impaled on the twisted metal that was sticking up through his side. He’d squinted through the dark and dared to reach out again, almost like he had a sick fascination with the injury, and then he’d recoiled in horror, squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head a little as he’d realised just how bad it was. 

He could feel the blood, that had once been warm, cooling on his clothes. They felt soaked with it and it just made him feel colder. 

He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes closed again. He sucked in a sharp breath and tried to keep calm. And he felt himself drifting a little; his mind becoming sluggish as a heavy weariness seemed to start dragging him down. He forced his eyes open and listened. 

Robert was talking to him. His voice was like an anchor, holding him firmly where he needed to be. 

Robert was so good for him. He was such a calming influence these days, which was ironic when he thought back on what a whirlwind of emotions Robert had created in him when they’d first met. But he’d be lost without him: he knew that from first-hand experience. 

Suddenly, he morbidly wondered how Robert would cope without him. He hardly needed to imagine it: he’d seen how Robert had fallen apart when they’d split up, and heard about it after they’d found their way back to one another. It frightened him that he might have to leave Robert all alone again. 

“Do you remember...when we went away for...that long weekend? And I ordered...room service while you were in the shower...and you said it better not...be champagne and strawberries?”

Robert’s voice, not as strong as usual and interrupted by worrying pauses, broke into his terrible thoughts. 

Aaron coughed weakly before he managed a reply. “No poncey stuff.”

Robert chuckled softly. “And I knew...you’d say that...so what was it when it arrived?” he asked 

Aaron huffed out a tiny laugh. “Beer and chips.”

It was such a good memory. Aaron remembered rolling his eyes at Robert ordering flashy room service and had immediately mocked him for his extravagant taste. And then the knock on the door had come and Robert had turned back to him clutching a tray of chips and a pack of beers and Aaron had fallen in love with him all over again.

“I know you,” Robert said and it was so quiet, Aaron nearly missed it, but he was so desperately holding on to Robert’s words and the precious moments that might be his last with his husband. 

It was so stupid. In his life, more than once, he’d wanted to die. He’d given up hope and given up on himself. And now, everything was different. He had so much to live for and he didn’t want to go. But he didn’t think he was going to have a say. The blood was still oozing from him and the shaking had got worse. He was fighting against the pull of unconsciousness.

“Aaron?” Robert called to him. “Are you...alright?” 

Robert’s voice was getting quieter. And when Aaron listened, he could hear him breathing: it didn’t sound right. It sounded wheezy and painful and like Robert was hurt somehow. What if Robert was hurt? What if he was injured just like Aaron was? 

“Robert? What’s wrong with you?” Aaron asked suddenly. “And don’t say nothing...I can tell when you’re lying to me.”

Robert let out a laugh that sounded closer to a sob somehow and Aaron’s heart sped up. He vaguely wondered why he felt like he was sweating when he was so cold.

“I’m...trapped,” Robert told him. 

“You said that before...but what’s wrong? You’re not just trapped, are you?” 

Aaron dreaded the answer: he didn’t want Robert to keep it from him, but at the same time, he almost didn’t want to know if Robert was seriously injured. He couldn’t help him and that scared him more than anything. 

“I’m...Aaron, I’m sorry,” Robert said, his voice cracked on the words. “I’m...I don’t think...I’m getting out of here.”

“What?” Aaron asked. He could hear the panic in his own voice, feel it rushing through him. “What do you mean? Robert? What’s wrong?”

“I’m trapped,” Robert repeated. “There’s a beam...it’s on top of me...I can’t move...and...I can’t...I can’t breathe properly.”

Aaron’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. Desperation swirled inside him but he was helpless. There was nothing he could do for Robert. 

“I’m sorry, Aaron,” Robert told him again. 

“No!” Aaron shouted. “Don’t say that. And don’t give up, alright? Help’s coming, remember? You’ll be alright. Just hold on.”

“I’m...trying,” Robert sighed. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” Aaron asked. He needed to keep Robert talking. 

“Didn’t want...to worry you,” Robert replied quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t keep saying that,” Aaron ordered. He could feel hot tears sliding down his face and, despite everything, it was the first time he’d actually felt truly terrified about what had happened because Robert sounded like he was losing hope, giving up, letting go. 

“Don’t give up, Robert,” he begged. “Please... I know you’re scared. But don’t give up. Think about our future. I promised you that little baby with those dark curls, remember?”

“Yeah,” Robert replied breathily. 

“And don’t forget those eyes. You know...the ones you’ll never be able to say no to.”

Robert huffed out a dry laugh and coughed horribly afterwards. “You’re going...to have me...wrapped around...your fingers, you two.” 

Aaron smiled to himself at the image of it. “Robert ‘soft-touch’ Sugden,” he replied quietly with a soft, wet-sounding laugh. 

“Sugden-Dingle,” Robert corrected. “Sounds...good...to me,” he added quietly. “I...I love you, Aaron.”

“Don’t! Don’t do that,” Aaron replied. He was angry suddenly. Angry that Robert was giving up. “Stop trying to say goodbye to me. You’re not going anywhere.”

He drew in his own shuddery breath after his outburst. Keeping Robert talking had helped take his mind off his own dire situation but he could feel himself slipping. The emotions had kept his adrenaline pumping but he could feel exhaustion dragging him down and he knew the blood loss he’d experienced had to be bad news. Here he was telling Robert he wasn’t allowed to give up, wasn’t allowed to say his goodbyes, but he feared that maybe he needed to do the same thing. 

“Rob?” he called to him. 

There was no response.

“Robert? Robert!” he shouted desperately. It made no sense that Robert had fallen silent and wasn’t responding to him. Not unless Robert was....he couldn’t even think it. 

Panic flooded Aaron and he tried to move, only to cry out in agony at the feeling of his flesh and his insides tearing against the metal bar sticking out of his side. Squeezing his eyes closed against the horrific pain, he groaned loudly and cried out. 

“Aaron?” A gasp from the other side of the debris caught his attention and brought him back from the pain. “What...wha’s happened?”

“Robert?” he sobbed out. “Are you alright? Why didn’t you answer me?”

“I...ugh...what?” Robert sounded awful. His voice was weak and he sounded so confused. 

“Robert...you have to hold on,” Aaron called to him. If he focused on Robert, it helped to keep his own pain at bay. 

“I’m...just... just tired,” Robert slurred in response. 

“Rob...I...” he started, but then he screamed out in agony as a jolt of pain so violent it stole his breath away ripped through him. 

“Aaron? Aaron?”

He could hear Robert calling to him desperately but he couldn’t find the strength to reply and he couldn’t fight past the searing torture slicing through him to form any sound other than a weak groan of pain. 

And then everything seemed to be darker than before. Robert’s voice was further away and he was suddenly so sad that he’d never hear it again because surely he was dying. 

He was glad for the darkness when it came because it meant the horrific agony stopped. He tried to picture Robert’s face one more time, but he was blurry and distant. He finally closed his eyes and drifted away.

***

There were voices calling out. 

“Can you hear me in there?” A voice shouted. “I’m from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue. We’ve come to help you. We’re going to get you out.”

Blearily, he blinked.

There were lights and then hands on him. He moaned out and someone murmured something reassuring to him. There were shouts and words he couldn’t comprehend.

He felt so far away, like he was drifting. 

He felt himself lifted.

Weakly, he called out his husband’s name. 

“We’ve got him. Just try to keep calm,” someone told him and he released a breath. 

The man he loved would be alright: he had to be. 

He let go. 


	4. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for the feedback! I’m so pleased someone’s enjoying this story. Wasn’t sure whether to end this chapter here, but thought maybe it’d be better to have a shorter update rather than wait for any more.

Someone was talking. No, shouting. 

There was more than one person. 

Were they shouting at him?

He couldn’t work it out. He couldn’t understand what they were saying. 

But they sounded frantic. 

You have to find him.

Where is he?

It hurts. 

Where’s my husband?

He wanted to say the words out loud. He tried. He didn’t think anyone was listening. 

He was panicking. He couldn’t breathe.

Someone was calling his name. 

Stay calm. Breathe. 

***

Someone was talking to him. A calm voice. A voice he knew. 

He tried to open his eyes, but they didn’t seem to be listening to his instructions.

His head felt fuzzy. 

The voice kept talking. 

Where is he? He thought to himself. I need him. Where is he?

It’s alright, the voice said. It’s going to be alright. 

Don’t give up. 

Don’t give up. 

***

He blinked his eyes open. 

The lights were so bright. It hurt his eyes. Burned them almost. 

But he had to see. He had to open his eyes and find him. 

He saw a face. A face he recognised. 

A smile beaming down at him and relievedeyes filled with tears. 

He wanted to speak but no words came out. 

He couldn’t breathe suddenly. 

No, help me. I can’t breathe. 

Where is he? I need him. He’s trapped. 

Help him. 

It’s okay. It’s going to be alright now. Just rest. Soothing words, calming him, easing him back to sleep as his weary eyelids fell closed again. 

A soft voice kept talking. He knew that voice. 

***

“I think he’s waking up.”

The voice was familiar. He knew that voice. And it felt reassuring to know that whatever had happened, and wherever he was, he was with family now. 

His face scrunched up as he tried to force his eyes open. It seemed so bright and his eyes felt so sore: dry and hot and gritty. 

“That’s it, Rob. Come on - you can do it.”

Victoria. He knew her voice. Painfully slowly, he cracked his eyes open and there she was, looking down at him with a soft smile on her face.

Blinking wearily, Robert took a moment to let his eyes roam across her face. She looked tired and there was a graze on her forehead and she looked like she might cry at any moment. He didn’t want her to cry. He was supposed to take care of his little sister. 

“Vic,” he whispered. He tried to lift his hand to touch her arm, to comfort her, but he didn’t seem to have the strength. 

“It’s okay, Rob. You’re back - it’s going to be okay,” she told him gently. 

He winced as he felt something aching in his chest. “You’re...hurt,” he managed to say.

She shook her head quickly and then brushed a tear from her cheek. “I’m fine,” she replied. “Just a scratch. Nothing compared to you.”

“Don’t...cry,” he murmured. He felt so weary: he could feel the pull of sleep dragging him down already. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” she said and she took hold of his hand and squeezed his fingers. 

He blinked at her a few more times and then Robert closed his eyes. 

‘Where is he?’ he suddenly thought to himself. ‘Where’s Aaron?’

“Aaron?” he gasped as his eyes snapped open. 

Victoria was still sitting beside his bed and she jumped at his sudden question. 

Robert could feel his heart racing: he knew he was panicking. 

“Aaron,” he repeated. “He’s...trapped.” He couldn’t catch his breath suddenly but he needed to get out of bed and help Aaron. He struggled against the sheet that was draped over him but his hands wouldn’t do what he wanted them too and he couldn’t even lift his arms properly. 

“Robert! It’s alright. He’s not trapped anymore. Stop! You’ll hurt yourself.” 

Vic sounded desperate and Robert blinked up at her in fear. His face felt wet and he didn’t know when he’d started crying. 

“It’s alright,” Vic repeated. “You need to get some rest. Don’t worry about Aaron - it’s alright.”

It’s alright. He trusted her. She’d tell him if something was wrong, if Aaron was still trapped or if he was hurt. 

‘Where is he?’ he thought, over and over, as his eyes fell shut again. He couldn’t keep them open. He wanted to see Aaron, but he couldn’t move. His whole body felt like it was made of lead. And his chest hurt. 

It’s alright. He’ll be alright. 

He slipped into darkness with the words on a loop in his head. 

***

Slowly, Robert blinked awake again. He felt more aware this time, but still incredibly weary. 

He could remember more of what had happened: his head didn’t feel so muddled and woolly anymore. He remembered being in the club, the roof falling in on top of him and Aaron. And he remembered being trapped. He’d been trapped, pinned down by the wooden beam lying on top of him. He’d been so scared: scared that he was dying and scared that he was losing Aaron. 

He remembered being so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open but knowing he had to try. And then he remembered hearing Aaron’s pained screams of agony. 

Aaron had been hurt. 

Aaron. 

Where was he?

Jolting suddenly, he tried to sit upright and then cried out in pain, slumping back against his pillows and pressing a hand to his side. The action had stolen his breath away for a moment and he panted desperately before he realised there was an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth which was fogging up with his gasped breaths. He groaned long and low as his chest felt like it was being split in two.

“Robert? Oh god, are you alright?” Victoria rushed over to his bed and peered down at him, concern all over her face. 

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt? Shall I get the nurse?”

She looked frantic and like she was about to run back out of the room, but he needed her to stay. He needed to get answers and no matter how much it hurt he didn’t want any more drugs that would knock him out again and leave him no closer to finding Aaron. 

Reaching up slowly, his hand a little shaky, he pulled the mask away from his face. 

“Robert...” Vic reprimanded. “You need to keep that on.”

“What...happened? Where’s...Aaron?”

She tilted her head to the side and looked at him sympathetically. He hated that look - it scared him. 

“Vic,” he said as firmly as he could manage. “Aaron.” He was too tired to even manage to string a proper sentence together but he thought his meaning was clear.

Sighing heavily, Vic sank down into the chair beside Robert’s bed and laid her hand over the top of his. 

“The roof collapsed at the club. You and Aaron were pretty close to the main section of damage and you were both trapped.”

Robert nodded. He remembered that. He remembered having a moment to glance at Aaron in fear before losing sight of him. He remembered waking up, pinned beneath the fallen beam and knowing he was in a bad way. 

“A massive piece of wood from the roof had fallen on top of you. You were pinned underneath it and when the firemen got to you, they had to lift it before they could move you. They said you were unconscious by that point but they’d heard you shouting and that’s how they found you.”

Robert remembered that too. He remembered shouting for Aaron, scared that he was hurt and trapped and just desperately wanting to get to him but knowing he couldn’t help. 

“You have three broken ribs. The doctors used lots of fancy words but basically you had a collapsed lung. You had to have an operation to repair it when they brought you in.”

That would explain the way he’d been struggling to breathe when he’d been trapped and the terrible pain in his side, and the way his chest felt like he’d been hit by a train. 

“You’re lucky to be alive,” Vic told him with a sniff. 

He looked at her and saw that tears had welled in her eyes and he turned his hand over underneath hers and squeezed her fingers as tightly as he could manage. 

“It’s alright,” he said quietly. Then he realised she must have been stuck in the club too when the roof came down.He remembered worrying about her when he’d been lying on the floor. “What happened...to you? You were...inside.”

Vic smiled weakly. “Me and Bernice had gone to the loo. If we’d still been dancing...” she trailed off and shook her head. “We heard the roof collapse and the lights all went off and we were stuck for a while, but they got us out fairly quickly.”

“Your head,” Robert said and glanced up at the graze on her forehead. 

Vic shook her head a little. “Just some stuff fell from the ceiling and hit me. Nothing major. Bernice has got a bump on the head too, but she’s fine. It’s you we’ve been worried about.”

Robert smiled at her slightly, relieved his little sister was alright. He released a tiny grunt as he tried to sit upright a little more. 

“Stop moving,” Vic chastised him. “Didn’t you hear me say you’ve got broken ribs?”

When he was settled and had caught his breath, Robert looked at her steadily. “Aaron?” he asked. “Where...is he?”

If Aaron was alright, he’d have been there when Robert woke up. He knew that. And if terrified him that he’d not seen his husband at all since he’d regained consciousness. Something was wrong.

Vic hesitated and Robert’s anxiety grew. He could feel himself getting panicked. Terrible scenarios were running through his head. 

“Vic...” he pleaded. He could hear the desperation in his voice. 

“It’s okay,” she said soothingly. “I don’t want you to worry.” She took a deep breath. “Aaron...he was hurt when the roof collapsed.”

Robert blinked at her. He’d guessed as much by his absence, but Aaron hadn’t told him he was hurt: he’d said he was fine, just trapped. 

Vic swallowed thickly before she continued. “There was a sharp piece of metal...I don’t know if it was from the roof - it must’ve been. It...it landed on Aaron and...it was...it hit him, in the side, and it was...stuck in him.”

Robert’s eyes widened in horror. The whole time they’d been lying there, Aaron had been impaled on some piece of metal. Tears filled his eyes at the thought of it. 

“How bad?” he asked desperately.

Vic blinked rapidly a few times. She looked scared. 

“They had to remove it when he got here...he had to have an operation. He’d lost a lot of blood.”

“Vic,” he cut her off. His eyes were burning with unshed tears. “How bad?” he repeated. 

“He’s still unconscious,” she admitted quietly. “They repaired the internal damage and he’s been having a blood transfusion. We thought he was out of the woods, but...he’s got sepsis...from the injury.”

Robert’s world froze. He couldn’t hear Vic anymore. He couldn’t see anything through the tears filling his eyes. His brain wouldn’t focus on anything apart from the fact that Aaron was seriously ill. 

Sepsis. 

They’d been here before. Robert had been so scared for Aaron the first time. Now, he felt like his world was ending. How could this be happening again? He couldn’t lose Aaron. He couldn’t.

“Robert! Rob!” 

Victoria was shouting his name. She sounded frightened.

Then there were lots of people all crowding around him. There were hands on him and a mask back over his mouth and nose. More voices, ones he didn’t recognise, shouting and telling him to breathe. 

He wanted Aaron. He was sure he called out for him. But then he felt incredibly sleepy all of a sudden, weight dragging him down, and there was darkness again.

***

When he woke up again, his brain was sluggish but he knew one thing clearly. Aaron was somewhere in the hospital: he was hurt. And Robert needed to get to him. 

He looked around the room slowly. Diane was sitting beside his bed reading a magazine and she glanced up and saw he was awake. 

“Robert, love, I’m so glad to see you’re awake again. We’ve been so worried about you.”

“Aaron?” he asked. It was all he wanted. Nothing else mattered in that moment, just finding out how Aaron was. 

Diane frowned at him, closing her magazine and leaning towards the bed a little. “Still the same, I’m afraid. He’s poorly, love.”

“Where is he?” Robert asked. 

“He’s in the intensive care unit,” Diane told him. “They’re looking after him.”

“I need to see him,” Robert said.

“You’re not well enough,” Diane immediately said with a shake of her head.

“I need to see him,” Robert repeated.

“You’ve only just woken up. You’ve been unconscious for two days,” Diane argued.

Two days? Robert hadn’t realised it had been so long. That meant they’d been apart for two days and Robert hated that thought. Aaron needed him.

He pushed himself up in bed on shaking arms much to Diane’s dismay. 

“I’m going to see him, whether you like it or not. You can help me or I’ll go on my own.”

Diane rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So stubborn, the pair of you,” she grumbled, as she got to her feet. “Just hold your horses for a minute. I’ll speak to the nurse and see if we can get you a wheelchair.”

Robert slumped back against his bed as soon as her back was turned. He pressed a hand to the side of his chest, feeling the bandage beneath the thin hospital gown he was wearing, and tried to take some deep breaths. He still felt like someone was standing on his chest, but that wouldn’t stop him getting to Aaron.

Eventually, after much unnecessary debate (according to Robert) with the nurses, Robert finally managed to, extremely carefully and slowly, lower himself into a wheelchair so Diane could push him to the intensive care unit so he could finally see Aaron. 

The nurses had been aghast at the suggestion that he got out of bed at all, let alone went trundling through the hospital, but Robert had argued that he’d just get up himself when they were occupied elsewhere and probably end up doing himself more damage in the long-run. They’d eventually agreed, but only if he used the wheelchair and was brought back after an hour. Being pushed there in a wheelchair wasn’t a problem seeing as Robert didn’t think he’d have the strength to walk to the end of his bed, so through the hospital to the ICU would have been a bit of an ask (despite his declarations that he’d do it on his own if he had to), but the hour time limit wasn’t enough. He supposed he’d have to take what he could get and hopefully they’d allow him to go to Aaron again if he followed their rules. 

Diane manoeuvred him into the lift and along the corridors until she stopped outside a room. Aaron’s name was written on the whiteboard outside and Robert almost wanted to tell Diane to take him back downstairs because he couldn’t face seeing Aaron in a hospital bed again - almost. But the desire to jump up and run into the room just to be close to his husband outweighed that fear. 

Diane parked him up and knocked on the door. Robert couldn’t see anything inside the room from his lower position but then the door was pulled open with a whoosh and a tired, pale Chas appeared in the corridor. She took one look at Robert’s anxious face and leant down to pull him into a hug. He was glad he was sitting in the chair because the force of it would have knocked him over, and he was glad she couldn’t squeeze him around the chest because his ribs were far to sore for that. She seemed desperate to cling to him and he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed back with as much strength as he could. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” she whispered against his ear, before she pulled back. “I’d have come down to see you, but...”

“No,” Robert shook his head. “He needed you. I’m glad you were with him.”

“Do you want to go in? Of course you do,” Chas answered her own question. “It’s limited visitors up here and make sure you use the anti-bac on the wall when you go in.”

She was rambling nervously and it made the pit in Robert’s stomach grow and something churn unpleasantly inside him. She looked exhausted and he didn’t think it was any good for her to be here fretting but he knew she wouldn’t leave her son.

“How is he?” he asked quietly. 

Chas sighed and blinked rapidly like she was trying to fight off tears. “He’s stable. They’re giving him loads of antibiotics through a drip at the moment to help him fight the infection. He had an operation - I’m sure you know - and that was a success and they’ve given him a blood transfusion. It’s just this blood poisoning...it’s left him really weak and...” she trailed off and sniffed loudly. “I’m sure hearing your voice will help.” 

Her words sunk into Robert and he wished that he’d sit by the bed and speak to Aaron and he’d miraculously wake up just because Robert was there. As much as he wanted it, he knew it didn’t work like that. But he hoped that Aaron would be able to hear him, or maybe sense his presence in some way: that was all he could do for him right now. 

He nodded at Chas, knowing he didn’t have any words to console her and knowing he wouldn’t be able to speak without getting upset anyway. 

Chas pushed the door open again and Diane wheeled Robert into the room, letting him stop off to clean his hands before she moved him closer to the bed. She didn’t say anything as she pushed him up to the bed, but she laid a reassuring hand against his shoulder. 

“I’ll be back in a bit, pet,” she said, but Robert hardly noticed her speaking, or her quietly leaving the room, letting the door close behind her. He was so absorbed in the sight before him. 

“Aaron...” he murmured. 

His beautiful husband was lying on the hospital bed with machines all round him: hooked up to him, beeping away, gently pumping liquid (and medicine, Robert vaguely thought) into his veins, an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. Aaron was so pale and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. Robert frowned at the bruise and graze across Aaron’s cheek: yet another injury that he hadn’t known about. 

That thought led him to wonder what was beneath the sheets covering Aaron’s body.How bad had the injury that Aaron suffered been? How much damage had that piece of metal caused when it had stabbed into him? He couldn’t imagine how Aaron must have felt lying there, how much pain he must have been in, how scared he would have been. And the whole time he’d hidden it from Robert. It was only when he’d cried out in agony that Robert had realised - too late - that Aaron was hurt. 

Part of him was angry - angry that Aaron had lied to him and pretended he was merely trapped instead of telling him the terrifying truth - but then he reminded himself that he’d done the same. He’d tried to pretend everything was alright because he didn’t want to scare Aaron; he’d tried to subtly say his goodbyes, let Aaron know how much he loved him because he’d been sure he was going to die. So he couldn’t be angry at Aaron. Not really. 

“I’m here,” he said quietly as he reached up and carefully took Aaron’s hand in his own. He brushed his thumb across the back of Aaron’s knuckles. “It’s going to be alright.” He’d said the words when they were trapped under the debris in the club. He’d repeated them to Aaron, trying to keep him calm, keep him holding on to hope. That was all Robert had now. 

He thought back to when they’d both been lying trapped in the rubble: Robert had been pinned and struggling to breathe but kept talking to Aaron to try to keep him calm; he hadn’t known it, but Aaron had been doing the same thing. He’d been seriously injured and he’d kept talking, trying to keep Robert awake and he’d not told Robert how badly hurt he was. He could only assume it was to protect him from the horrible truth. They were both as bad as one another. 

And now, all Robert could do was talk quietly to Aaron, plead with him to keep fighting and to wake up, and hold his hand to let him know he was there. If that was all he could do, if that made one tiny bit of a difference, Robert would do it.

“You’re going to be alright,” he told him. 


	5. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s the final chapter. Hope you enjoy! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.

That first visit to Aaron flew by in a blur for Robert. It seemed that hardly any time had gone by and Diane was quietly walking back into the room to wheel him back to his own. He had no way of tracking the time, but he’d felt like it couldn’t have been an hour that he’d been there. He hadn’t protested though - it wasn’t worth the argument that he’d known he wouldn’t win and he’d been too exhausted anyway. 

As soon as he’d carefully climbed back into his own bed, with some help from the nurses, he’d fallen asleep. The emotional and physical strain had been a lot to deal with and despite his distress about Aaron’s condition and his desperation to get answers about his illness and his progress, his body had other ideas and had dragged him down into unconsciousness before he could do anything about it. 

Since the first day, his visits had been regular and seemed to be gradually getting longer. He was doing everything he could to drag out the length of time he could be at Aaron’s side. 

Visiting times for his ward were limited, but as soon as anyone arrived - morning or evening - he would ask them to get him a wheelchair so he could be taken to Aaron. 

The only time he hadn’t left his bed straight away was when Liv had come to see him, the evening after he’d first been to see Aaron. 

She’d been hovering in the doorway when he’d blinked awake. It looked like she hadn’t wanted to disturb him, but as soon as he’d looked in her direction and smiled tiredly at her, she’d rushed over to him. Robert had reached out his left arm, the one not painful after being trapped under the beam, beckoned her close and then pulled her into a one-armed hug. She’d melted against him, pressing her head to his shoulder and shaking a little. 

“Hey...it’s going to be alright,” he’d told her and then wondered how many times he’d said that aloud and in his head. 

Liv had sniffed and pulled back from the embrace. She’d wiped her face roughly - just like Aaron, Robert had thought to himself - and then given him a watery smile. 

“Sorry I haven’t been down since you’ve been awake,” she’d muttered.

“It’s alright - Vic told me you’d been in while I was asleep,” he’d reassured her.

“I wanted...I wanted to stay with Aaron,” she’d said quietly. “Thought he might wake up if I stayed up there and kept talking to him.”

Robert had almost cried at their similar hopes. He’d looked at Liv and realised just how much she took on for someone so young. She’d been through so much - and now this.

“I’m going up there again,” he’d told her. “I’ll get him to wake up. You know I’m used to having to get him moving.”

Liv had nodded. She’d looked at Robert with wide eyes.

“I’m really glad you’re okay, Rob. And that you’re awake. I was...I was scared.”

“It’s going to be alright,” he’d repeated. “You know how stubborn he is. He’s not giving up on us.”

Liv had nodded. Robert had nodded back at her. It was like they were deciding on it between themselves and Aaron really had no say in the matter. He was going to wake up and that was the end of the discussion. 

***

Robert was sitting beside Aaron’s bed as was the norm when anyone had come to visit him. Everyone kept telling him he needed to rest and stop worrying, but how was he supposed to do that? He couldn’t not worry about Aaron when he was still unconscious, still hooked up to machines, still being pumped full of antibiotics to help his body fight off the infection. 

He was actually feeling a little better anyway. It had been a couple of days since he’d woken up properly and he didn’t feel as drained or sore as he had when he had first regained consciousness. He wasn’t one hundred percent - not by a long way - but he was getting better. He was sure he’d be released from the hospital soon and he couldn’t wait because then he wouldn’t have well-meaning nurses badgering him about getting back into bed and insisting he wasn’t gone for too long. 

He’d been feeling so much better that he’d suggested that he walked up to the ICU on his own, instead of using the wheelchair, but he’d only made it to the end of the first corridor before he was out of breath and wincing and Vic had scolded him and fussed and rushed off to find him a wheelchair as he leant against the wall clutching at his chest and wheezing. 

She’d returned with a nurse in-tow, who’d looked at Robert like he was a naughty schoolboy before she’d helped him into the chair and then given him a quick check over, tutting at him and telling him not to be late back to the ward. 

He’d merely nodded, too embarrassed and frustrated and angry at his own inability to help Aaron properly. Then Vic had been allowed to push him to the lift so they could continue their journey. 

“So I’ve been given a right telling off because of you,” Robert told Aaron after he’d relayed the story to his unconscious husband. 

He always spoke to him when he visited. Sometimes he didn’t know how he managed it, but somehow he could fill the time with chatter and his voice and he just hoped that Aaron knew he was there.

“I can tell the nurses think I’m a right pain in the arse. S’pose you’d tell them they were right,” he said as he huffed out a tiny laugh. “But you’d be fussing along with them. You know you’re never happy unless you’ve got something to fret about.”

Suddenly, a wave of sadness rushed over Robert. Maybe he was just feeling sorry for himself, but he wanted Aaron to wake up so he could squeeze his hand, or stroke his arm, or give him a hug, just to let him know that everything was going to be alright and he was going to be alright. He needed the comfort. He’d not really processed what had happened in the nightclub. He hadn’t dealt with the fact that they’d both nearly died. He hadn’t allowed himself to have a moment to feel sorry for himself or really absorb the fact that he’d nearly suffocated as he’d lain on the floor pinned beneath a huge piece of wood. He hadn’t let his brain go to any dangerous places that might make him start thinking that Aaron might not wake up. That possibility wasn’t an option: it was too terrifying for Robert to allow into his head. 

But it didn’t matter how many times he told himself everything would be alright. It didn’t matter how many times he reassured Liv or Chas or anyone else that it would be alright. He needed Aaron to wake up and tell him that. He needed Aaron to wake up and pull him into his arms and hold him and whisper in his ear that everything was alright. They were both safe and they were together and that was all that mattered.

Suddenly, his chest hurt and he didn’t think it was anything to do with his broken ribs or his damaged lung. His heart hurt because he couldn’t stand the thought of losing Aaron. Tears filled his eyes, overflowing and silently trickling down his cheeks. It was the first time he’d allowed himself to cry. He couldn’t speak and he wondered if Aaron had noticed that he’d gone quiet. Half of his brain angrily told him that he was ridiculous - of course Aaron couldn’t hear him, he was unconscious and had shown no signs of reacting to Robert at all. But the other half of him was desperately clinging on to hope. He had to believe that Aaron was still there and would know Robert had been with him all the way. 

He let himself cry for a little while, squeezing Aaron’s hand to try to let him know he was still there. Then he scrubbed the tears from his face and drew in a deep breath (or as deep as he could manage at the moment). He had to keep it together: he wasn’t giving up or losing hope. 

When Vic quietly pushed the door open, she looked at Robert’s face but thankfully didn’t comment on his red, puffy eyes or false smile. She just smiled a little sadly at him before she wheeled him out of the room. 

Robert didn’t speak all the way back to his ward and he merely murmured a goodbye to her when he was settled back in his bed and she left. He was lost in his own head and words didn’t seem to want to come to him anymore. 

***

He felt very strange. 

His head felt thick and heavy. Everything felt heavy. 

His body felt weak like he couldn’t even twitch a finger. 

He wanted to open his eyes but he found he couldn’t. It wasn’t a scary feeling: he was too exhausted to feel scared. 

Someone was talking to him but they seemed distant. The voice had drifted through the fog in his head and he wanted to hold on to it. It made him feel safe. 

Something touched his hand: maybe dry, warm fingers. He wanted to turn his hand over to hold them there but he couldn’t move. 

The voice had stopped talking to him and he missed it. That voice had pulled him closer to the surface, like a lifeline. Now it had stopped, he could feel himself slipping back into darkness. He didn’t want to drift away again. He wanted to call out, ask them to stay with him, but he couldn’t. 

The hand slid away from his, the voice didn’t come back, and he felt the darkness pull him under. 

***

“Mm...uh,” Aaron managed to force out. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool and something was over his face, an oxygen mask maybe. 

He’d opened his eyes a few minutes ago; slowly blinking back to awareness and squinting even in the dimly-lit room. His head was pounding and his limbs felt like lead, but he was awake. 

He knew he wasn’t alone in the room. His mum was sitting beside his bed and she looked like she was fast asleep, slumped a little awkwardly in the chair, her hand resting on her stomach. She looked exhausted even in sleep Aaron realised as he incredibly slowly turned his head against his pillow to look at her. 

Blinking seemed to be an effort and every time his eyes fell closed, he was tempted to just let himself go back to sleep. He was so tired. But something kept him holding on to consciousness. 

He vaguely remembered being at the nightclub. He scoured his brain for what had happened and why he’d clearly ended up in the hospital. Gradually it came back to him. He remembered the collapse of the roof and then the agony he’d been in when he’d woken up and realised he’d been impaled on a piece of metal. Thinking was such an effort, but he focused on his side where he knew he’d been hurt. The pain was a dull ache now - nothing like the searing torture of before. 

So he’d been rescued then. And probably had an operation, he thought to himself. 

His mind went back to the club. He’d been trapped and scared and Robert had kept talking to him.

Robert. 

He’d been hurt too. He’d been trapped, struggling to breathe.

He felt his heart thud in his chest. 

Where was Robert? Why wasn’t he there? Why wasn’t he sitting in the room alongside his mum? 

Distantly he heard a beeping around him. It sounded angry and fretful. He had to find Robert. Where was he? 

“Aaron?” 

He heard his mum’s voice and he turned his head back to her. 

“Aaron, love,” she breathed out. There were tears in her eyes. She looked so relieved. But she looked worried too. “Aaron...it’s okay, love. Calm down.”

The door to the room flew open and people rushed inside. He just blinked at them. 

“Rr...ah...rr,” he tried to speak again, but the effort was too much. He gasped out the sounds but no-one was listening to him. He wanted to take the oxygen mask away, but his heavy arms wouldn’t co-operate. 

“Aaron, can you hear me?” Someone was saying and he wanted to roll his eyes and tell them to leave him alone, but he didn’t even have the energy for that. 

“You’re in the intensive care unit at the hospital. We’re very pleased to see you awake.”

They said some more words that got mostly lost in Aaron’s tired, bewildered brain and he just blinked at them. No-one was telling him about Robert. 

It seemed the effort of staying awake was too much and Aaron felt his eyelids drooping again. He wanted to stay awake, but he couldn’t fight it anymore. The last thing he thought of was Robert and where he was and why wasn’t he there. 

***

His mum was still there when he woke up again. She still looked tired, but she smiled at him when he turned his head to see her. 

“Hello, love,” she said quietly. She reached up and stroked her hand over the side of his head. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

He blinked at her slowly and allowed himself a moment to bask in the comfort she offered. 

“What’s...happened?” he asked eventually. His thoughts felt sluggish and his body still felt useless, but at least he could manage proper words now. 

His mum frowned a little. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it gently. 

“You went to a nightclub and there was an accident. The roof collapsed and you got hurt. You’ve had an operation and you’ve been very poorly with sepsis,” she told him. 

He was sure that couldn’t be the full story, just a simplified version of it to satisfy his question. And he remembered it anyway. He knew what had happened. His question hadn’t been quite right. 

He shook his head slightly against his pillow.

“What’s...happened...” he repeated. 

His mum’s frown deepened and she looked worried. 

“I told you, sweetheart,” she said. 

Frustration was building inside him and he just wanted her to tell him. He needed to know what had happened to Robert. He still wasn’t there and he knew Robert - he knew that if his husband had breath in his body he’d be there for Aaron. And he wasn’t. Something awful had happened. Robert had been trapped too and he’d been hurt. And now he wasn’t there. Tears pooled in his eyes and he looked at his mum imploringly. 

“What’s wrong, love?” Chas asked as she leant a little closer, concern all over her face. 

“Robert?” he managed to ask. 

“Oh, love,” she said softly and squeezed his hand a little tighter. 

Those simple soft words and her actions tore through Aaron. Robert was gone, wasn’t he? Aaron had lost him. The tears dribbled down the side of his face and onto his pillow. 

“Oh god...No,” he sobbed. He squeezed his eyes closed trying to block it out. “No...no.”

“Aaron!” his mum almost shouted at him. “It’s alright - Robert’s going to be alright.”

He froze and blinked at her rapidly. She was up out of her seat, hovering over him with wide eyes. 

“What? What...d’you...mean?”

“He was trapped when the roof collapsed. And he was hurt too. Something had landed on him and he was in a bad way, but he’s going to be alright.”

Aaron couldn’t quite process what he was hearing. He couldn’t quite believe it. 

“But...where...is he?”

Chas gave him an odd look. “He’s downstairs on his ward. He’s still in the hospital. He’s been coming up to see you as much as possible, but he’s not back on top form yet so he’s not allowed to stay very long and he hasn’t had much say in the matter. Good thing too otherwise he’d be making himself more poorly sitting up here all the time instead of getting the rest he needs in bed.”

“He’s really...alright?” Aaron asked. He had to have it confirmed. “He’s going...to get better.”

His mum nodded and smiled softly at him. “He’s really alright, sweetheart. I promise you. And if he does as he’s told, much like you, he’ll be just fine.”

Aaron released a long breath and closed his eyes. The emotion of believing his husband was dead, even for such a brief moment, had drained him. 

“I need...to see him,” he muttered. He couldn’t quite believe that Robert was in one piece until he saw him with his own eyes. 

“Well, get some rest then,” Chas said. “And I’ll go and tell him you’re awake. He’ll come and see you when the nurses let him.”

“But...” Aaron began and his mum cut him off.

“But nothing. Do as you’re told. Honestly, you’re as bad as one another.”

That managed to bring a tiny smile to Aaron’s lips. His mum was definitely right about that. 

***

He blinked a couple of times to make sure that what he was seeing wasn’t something perfect created by his emotionally exhausted mind. 

When he looked back, the man he loved was still there: bruised and sore and obviously nowhere near better. But he was there and that was enough. 

He smiled. And his husband smiled back. 

***

“You’re awake,” Robert murmured, almost like he hardly dared believe it. It was so quiet that Aaron might have missed it, but he was solely focused on Robert, eyes taking in every inch of him, listening for every breath that might seem laboured in any way. 

Liv had wheeled Robert into the room and left him just inside the door. She’d smiled at the two of them and backed out of the room immediately, muttering something about not needing to witness soppy reunions. 

Robert hadn’t moved. He just stared at Aaron who was staring back at him.

It took a long moment - he wondered if Aaron was feeling just the same as he was and not daring to move in case he broke the spell - and then he’d managed to say the most obvious thing that came into his head, the thing he’d been waiting for for days. 

“Yeah,” Aaron replied quietly. He couldn’t get out of bed and go to Robert, no matter how much he wanted to. He wanted to wrap his arms around Robert and just hold him. His husband looked exhausted and overwhelmed and pale: he looked like he was haunted and Aaron knew that feeling. 

“Come ‘ere,” he said. He lifted his hand slowly and beckoned for Robert to come to him. “Please, Rob,” he added, like Robert needed any encouragement. 

Robert’s eyes were wide. A little shakily, he pushed himself to his feet and steadily made his way over to the bedside.

He stopped alongside Aaron and gazed down at him. His eyes looked a little watery and Aaron knew his own were filled with unshed tears. 

Aaron reached out and stroked his arm and Robert hung his head.

“God,” he breathed out. “Aaron...”

He couldn’t speak. He didn’t know what to say. He had so much he wanted to say but the words wouldn’t come to him. 

“Hey,” Aaron murmured. “It’s alright.”

Robert let out a wet-sounding little laugh: they were just the words that Robert had been so desperate to hear. 

Robert sank down into the chair beside Aaron’s bed. He reached out and took Aaron’s hand in his own, running his thumb over Aaron’s knuckles just like he had done when Aaron had been unconscious. “I was so scared,” he admitted. “I thought...”

“I know,” Aaron said with a nod. “Me too.”

Robert looked up at him and allowed his eyes to travel across his husband’s face. 

“You lied to me,” he said quietly.

“What?” Aaron asked, clearly confused by the statement. 

“You said you were okay,” Robert replied. “Just trapped. And then I knew you were hurt because you were crying out in pain and that was the last thing I heard from you. When I woke up here, I didn’t know where you were. I thought...I thought you were dead.”

A tear rolled down Aaron’s cheek. “I’m sorry. I just...I didn’t want you to worry. I knew you’d be scared if I told you...I was scared too.”

“I know,” Robert said. “But you should’ve told me.”

“You didn’t tell me either,” Aaron replied immediately, a bit of annoyance creeping into his tone. “You kept saying you were alright and then only told me the truth when I could hear that you were struggling to breathe. You’re just as bad.”

Robert froze for a moment and just blinked at Aaron. Then he laughed. 

Wiping the tear from his face, Aaron just stared at him in surprise.

“Do you think we’ve been here so many times now that we’ve just skipped the joyful reunions and gone straight to bickering?” Robert asked as he continued to chuckle to himself. “Welcome back to the land of the living - you’re in trouble by the way.”

A smile tugged at Aaron’s lips. “You are in trouble,” he said, but he clearly didn’t mean it. “I was worried about you.”

Robert sighed heavily. “Me too. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up.”

Aaron shook his head. “It’s alright. I know you would’ve been if you could. I hear you’ve been getting into trouble with other people too.”

Rolling his eyes, Robert shook his head slightly. “The nurses have been pretty strict.”

“Almost like it’s their job to look after you and make sure you don’t hurt yourself any more,” Aaron replied.

Robert gave him a less-than-impressed look. “Like you’d have been any better behaved if it was the other way round.”

Aaron shrugged as well as he could against his pillow. “S’pose you’re right. My mum said something about us being as bad as one another.”

Robert laughed again. He felt almost giddy with relief that he was actually sitting there talking to his husband and hearing him speaking back instead of receiving nothing but silence. 

“And not only that, but I suppose we’ll have something else in common now too,” he said.

Aaron frowned in confusion. “What’re you on about?”

“Matching battle wounds,” Robert said as he gestured to Aaron’s side, a sardonic smile on his face. “You’ll have the one where they stitched you up and I’ve got the one from my operation.”

“What a pair,” Aaron said with a sigh. 

Robert huffed and pushed himself up out of his seat, leaning on the side of the bed to support himself as he got to his feet. 

“What are you doin’?” Aaron asked in alarm. He didn’t like seeing Robert looking so weak and unsteady. 

“No more,” Robert said as he leaned down over Aaron. 

Blinking up at him in surprise, Aaron’s confusion was obvious. 

“No more matching injuries or near-death experiences or things that might take you away from me, okay?” Robert murmured. 

“Okay,” Aaron agreed quickly. 

Even tired and pale and weak, Robert was still the best thing Aaron had ever seen in his whole life. He loved him so much. 

“Okay,” Robert repeated quietly. 

And then he slowly leant down to press his lips against Aaron’s. 

“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered when he pulled back a little. “We’re going to be alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback, as always, is so wonderful and I really appreciate anyone letting me know what they think of this. 
> 
> I’m snarfettelove on tumblr.


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